Six suspected kidnappers disguising as vigilantes in Delta communities have been arrested by operatives of the state Police Command.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that on December 15, 2022 at about 8pm, police operatives attached to Ekpan Police Station deployed on patrol along Jakpa Road, intercepted an ash coloured Toyota Sienna space bus without registration number conveying six male occupants.
The policemen on suspicion subjected them to a search during which three pump action guns, four locally made guns, one long axe, seven expended cartridges, nine live cartridges, native charms, three cutlasses and two number plates were recovered.
When interrogated, the suspects comprising Aaron Okorigwe, aged 27, and the five others could not give reasonable account of themselves before they were taken into custody.
The Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, Bright Edafe, stated that investigation later revealed that the suspects were hoodlums who operate under the guise of being vigilante members from Ovwian Aladja, but sneaked into Ekpan community in a Sienna vehicle, rob and kidnap unsuspecting people.
Following these findings, on December 16, 2022, the Divisional Police Officer invited three victims (names withheld), all of whom were at various times victims of armed robberies and kidnappings in the area, and placed the suspects on identification parade.
The victims instantly identified the suspects as the syndicate that robbed and kidnapped them.
The PPRO disclosed that investigation was ongoing in the matter.
